In a busy week for the UCC Staff GAA team, the hurlers lined out in the semi-final of the Junior Hurling Cup against Cork Garda in the scenic Mardyke GAA grounds on Wednesday evening. With the hard ground extremely slippery after a light shower conditions were testing but this did not prevent a fine game from been played out. When the final whistle went Cork Garda were ahead but UCC will rue a lack lustre first half that left them with two much to do.
UCC won the toss and played with the breeze in the first half. However, from the throw-in, Cork Garda seemed to be interested outfit. They hit a couple of quick points to open up a two point lead. The UCC attack finally kicked into gear and a well-struck Stephen Moylan from the right wing was followed by a point from play from Ronan Spillane.
Cork Garda responded straightaway and hit three unanswered points and but for a number of errant shots could have pulled further ahead. Two more frees from Moylan and a pointed effort from corner forward James Moylan were separated by a couple of excellent points from play from the Cork Garda half forward line.
With Garda two points in the lead with twenty minutes gone, the game changed in a two-minute period when Garda struck for two fine goals. Both were the result of first-time pulls on the sliotar from balls that broke around the UCC goalmouth. Cork Garda built on this strong position and with apparent lethargy among the UCC outfit Garda held a deserved 2-08 to 0-06 advantage at the half time interval.
Following some stern words from stand-in coach Rory Rice, UCC were much more effective in the second half. The defence led by centre back Fergal Moloney got on top of their Garda opponent’s while the UCC attack now began to take the direct route to goal after a first half which saw them regularly take the soft option.
UCC’s bright start saw midfielder Brendan Keohane hit over a point of his left with Stephen Moylan adding a brace from play. Although Garda opportunities were now limited they made the most of the few chances that came their way, and some excellent shooting saw them maintain their halftime lead.
UCC’s excellent midfielder, Shane Horgan, began to control the game and he provided great possession for the UCC attack which was now functioning much better. A high ball to the square was excellently finished to the net with an overhead flick by Stephen Moylan after it broke his way. A neat interchange of passes between Ronan Spillane and Stephen Moylan saw James Moylan put through on goal and his low shot on the run beat the Garda keeper.
With a little more than ten minutes remaining UCC were now back in the game and the Garda lead was cut to three points. An extremely dubious line ball call from the referee favoured Garda and as the UCC defence argued the toss and very intelligent cut was played across the goals and finished over the bar by a Garda midfielder. Garda won the resultant puck out and worked an opening to hit over a fine point to restore a five point lead.
This little passage of play effectively sealed UCC’s fate as, try as they might, they could not narrow the Garda lead. UCC’s direct running approach of the second half saw them awarded a number of close in frees late in the game but these were dealt with by the Garda rearguard with one stinging effort by Ronan Spillane knocked over the bar by the Garda goalkeeper.
In the end Garda held out for a six point win on a 2-17 to 2-11 scoreline and it is they who moved on to the final of the Junior Hurling Cup. After the week’s activities that saw UCC from the cup competitions UCC must now regroup as they face important upcoming fixtures in both the hurling and football championships.
Team: 1 Seamus Coffey 2 Sean O’Leary 3 Timmy Geaney 4 Mick Murphy 5 Robert Phelan 6 Fergal Moloney 7 John Eakins 8 Brendan Keohane (0-01) 9 Shane Horgan 10 Anthony Walsh 11 Olan Casey 12 Ronan Spillane (0-02, 1f) 13 Daniel Foley 14 Stephen Moylan (1-07,4f) 15 James Moylan (1-01) Subs: Donncha Madden, Michael O’Donoghue
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